Boeing and Paramount join forces for multi-role aircraft

US plane maker Boeing and the South African defence company Paramount said they would collaborate on light multi-role aircraft.

Boeing will provide advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and weapons systems for Paramount’s Mwari military aircraft, the companies said on Monday.

“The multi-role aircraft will become a significant player in the global aerospace industry,” said Ivor Ichikowitz, the executive chairman of Paramount Group. “We believe in the commercial success of the aircraft and its impact on the future of the African aerospace industry by boosting advanced technologies, job creation and skills development.”

The Paramount Group, a privately owned defence and aerospace business, first flew the two-seater aircraft publicly last year. It was billed as Africa’s first military aircraft.

Paramount also produces armoured fighting vehicles, such as the Marauder mine-protected personnel carrier, and supplies parts for the Mirage jet fighter.

Boeing and Paramount had signed in 2014 a memorandum of collaboration to jointly develop defence and security opportunities in international markets.

At the time, the platforms that were under discussion for collaboration included various Boeing rotorcraft, unmanned aerial systems, related support services, and Paramount’s fleet of land vehicles and aerospace systems capabilities.​